Golf practice target



W. N. WEAVER GOLF PRACTICE TARGET T arch H 1941.

Filed Sept. 6, 1939 W/LL/S /V. WEm/EQ Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFHCE GGLF PRACTICE TARGET Willis N. Weaver, York, Pa.

Application September 6, 1939, Serial No. 293,535

1 Claim. (Cl. 273*35) This invention refers to the game of golf andswing of the frame against the tension of the more particularly to adevice for promoting the springs is utilized in determining the force ofpractice of same within a limited and accessible the blow of the ballshot against the target. The area, and for purposes of thisspecification will frame 'is suspended to an external frame, also 5 betermed a golf target, protected with rubber or the like, and operates Itis an object of this invention to provide 2. Within it. The lowerportion of the target frame golf target capable of being used forreceiving is provided with a link to which a rope is attached ballsstruck in the conventional manner with for keeping the target frametaut. The rope golf clubs from a relatively short distance from runs a rss a pu y 116E118 P y Of a indicating it. Another object is to providefor visible indidevice, and terminates with a coiled spring se- 10cations of the position or location at which the cured to the externalframe. The arrangement balls strike the target. A further object is toof the rope and spring is such as to keep the arrange the target with arecording or indicating inner frame tight against brackets on a frontmeter that will show the force of the blow that portion of the externalframe, and ready 0 e 15 is struck by the ball on the target, andregister hit y balls m t e P -Y 15 pitch, slice and hook. Another objectis to The friction of the rope on the indicator causes arrange thetarget that it Will deaden the balls the hands of the latter to rotateand show the and prevent them bouncing back dangerously, force of theblow, and a ratchet arrangement and to have its extraneous parts adaptedto take eeps the indicator in the p p spot until reup the forcesufficiently to eliminate forcible leased by the player. Thus, when theplayers 20 returns of the balls to the player. Still another callstrikes the target, he can determine whether object is to provide anattachment to the target the p y ffillOWed the P 1 direction; W e herthat Will enable the player to definitely set his it was hard enough,and whether his characterstance to the best and most accurate positionCS osy c s Of Judgment require possible in relation to the target, andto have r i n or change Th f s r presented 25 such attachment of aconvenient and unobstrucually to him in detail, and in a convenient andtive form. desirable arrangement. In order to position his Other objectsWill become apparent as the instance accurately with relation to thetarget, vention is more fully set forth. a flexible narrow ribbon,preferably of metal, is

In this invention, the device is made with a IlIIlOllEd fI'OIl'l thetarget structure and laid down 30 frame on which double target canvas orcloths 0n the ground at the pr p r n e fr m it, are used. The "frontcanvas or cloth is marked e golf ball s t On e e ror i n dowith linesand wording, or symbols to indicate Signed locate A 11018 y be providedin various details of interest t olfers, showing the this ribbon toallow it to be fastened to the ground force and angle of the balls hitby them with that the golf tee used, maybe driven throu i 35 theirclubs. This cloth is also made relatively In the drawing, Whichillustrates an e ple loose to allow it to hold the impression of the fhis inventionball where it strikes the target, and at the same Figure 1is a view in perspec ive of a golf tar et time deaden it. The deadeningof the ball preembodying this invention,

40 vents the ball from bouncing back or hitting the Figure 2 is asectional elevation on the line 40 player sufficiently to hurt or injurehim. The of Figure 1, target is placed about ten feet distant from thegu e 3 is a dia a c View Of the device stance or tee-off location. Thesecond and rear to indicate its gener mechanism and Operationcloth isplaced on tightly to take up the force Similar reference charactersrefer to similar of the blow and prevent the ball passing through partsthroughout the drawing. 5 the first cloth. The frame itself is coveredwith In the construction shown in the drawing l rubber or some resilientor soft material, that represents an exterior frame or casing suitablywill deaden the balls that erratically hit against protected andinsulated with rubber or other it, and prevent them bouncing back to theplayer, similar resilient or deadening material 2. This The bottom ofthe frame is provided with a covering of rubber is to take up the return50 cocoa-mat buttress to protect the frame and bounce of a ball thaterratically strikes the frame. slow up the balls that strike it. Thisframe is It has been found that the use of ordinary rigid suspended froma central single support, and materials alone around the target 3, usedfor the with top spring suspensions to keep it steady and balls 0 toshoot at, will cause the ball to bounce resist sidewise movements. Theamount of back and hit the player and severely hurt him 55 on occasions.This rubber covering arrangement causes the power in the flying ball tobe absorbed and rendered safe to the player. The frame is preferably ofbox-like form in order to contain and protect the internal mechanism ofthe device, which consists of a pulley 4, another pulley 5, a ratchetmechanism 6, and pawl H connected with the pulley 5 and its shaft 6, therope or chain It, the coil spring 9 and the attaching hook l2. Thepulley 4 is supported on a shaft 8 journalled on the walls of the frame.The pawl has an exterior handle 40 adapted to unloosen the pawl andallow its ratchet to return to normal position.

The target 3 consists of a loose canvas or cloth front chart 13, whichis marked with cross lines l4 and suitable marking or symbols 15. Thefront is made loose by installing gromets [5, around its border andmounting same on suitable catch pins l1, attached to the internal frame18. The space around the hole in the gromet allows sufficient movementin the front chart to give when hit with a golf ball, and absorb itspower. At the same time the ball will leave an impression 50 in thefront that indicates the exact location where the target was struck.This impression is quickly removed by tapping the cloth. A rear orsecondary cloth [9 is mounted on the rear of the frame ill, but insteadof being loose, it is brought up taut thereon. This secondary cloth isspaced away from but close to the front cloth, so as to act asreinforcement to the latter and prevent the ball from tearing throughit. It absorbs the excess power of the stroke but does not prevent thefront chart from being impressed by the ball as noted before. The targetframe is suspended from a loose connection 20, centrally secured at thetop of the exterior frame, which permits it to swivel rotatively andswing. The rotative action is controlled in a predetermined manner bysmall coil springs 2|, connecting the internal frame with the exteriorframe. The bottom portion of the internal frame has a projecting rod 22at its middle portion which moves when the internal frame swings. Therope I is secured to the rod 22 and is pulled when the internal frame isswung inwardly on the connection 20 as a hinge and stretches the coilspring 9 which tensions it. The rope runs over the pulleys 24, and 4,serving to guide it within the external frame I. These pulleys, etc.,are arranged to avoid interference with the movement of the frame.

When the pulley 5 is rotated either way by the rope H], which is woundaround it with one win-ding, it moves freely, but when moved in thedirection of the arrow, it also rotates the ratchet mechanism 6 mountedon the common shaft, and its pointer 25 on the side of the frame.Indices 25 on the side wall serve to indicate predetermined factors thatdisclose the force of the blow of the ball against the target. Thesedeterminations are found empirically, and then placed definitely on theside wall for the pointer to read on intelligently. The movement of thepointer is controlled by the ratchet, and stays set at the maximum pointwhich the blow of the ball moves the pointer to. After the player hasread the pointers position, he manipulates a handle 26 that releases theratchet and allows it to return to normal position under the tension ofan auxiliary spring 21.

When the blow strikes any portion of the target marked off inrectangles, the impression 50 left by the ball allows its value to beread easily by the player. The rules and experimental data obtained forthe target are preferably written in the proper space for the reader toobserve, and thereby indicate to him visually, how his strokes react tohis club or manner of shooting with the various types of golf clubs.These rules or data may be placed on a miniature target card availableto the player conveniently, instead of on the front target chart. Thehitting of the front chart tends to wear off any printing on it, andthus the miniature target may be used to represent it, and not bedamaged by the ball strikes.

Normally, the target is placed ten feet from the stance or tee-off, fromwhich the player tries his shots. The target is built up on this basis,as some definite location must be selected to calibrate the target. Ifthe player plays straight, he will strike the middle rectangles, and theimpression will indicate that he is on the course. If the ball hits tothe left or right of the targets middle rectangles, it indicates fromthe position of its impression, above the bottom marking line and fromthe middle axis, the effective results of the shot. These results areread on the target or card representing same, and give the player thepitch, slice, or hook as the case may be. The pitch is the reading ofthe position of the ball impression vertically above normal ground line.The slice is the position of the impression read to the right of theplayer and from the middle line of the target. The hook is the positionof the impression on the front target left by the golf ball striking it,to the left of the player and from the middle line of the target. Thestance position is stationary and set definitely by means of a narrowribbon 28 and tee-off mark 29, when unwound from the target to which itis attached, aligned with the middle axis line of the same. Its lengthis-usually set at ten feet. This enables the player to position himselfcorrectly and uniformly every time he plays or practices with themachine, without trouble or inconvenience. To give an example of the useof the target, it will be assumed that the player sends the golf ballinto the rectangle R|, at a point 2 inches off the middle line to theright. If ten feet from the stance, then the ball would be off inproportion two hundred inches in one thousand feet. The use of ironclubs have certain effects and wood clubs another, and are well known togolfers and therefore, do not need further explanation in thisspecification, but to meet the conditions and expectation of play thetarget chart is developed accordingly, and any explanations suitable forthe use of the players is provided with it.

The effect of the golf ball striking the target chart is threefold. Itmakes an impression in the loose cloth; it rotates the target on itsvertical middle axis; and it swings the target on its upper swivel, asif hinged thereon. The springs give the necessary resistance to thesemotions and act in cooperation with the indicator pointer to provide acalibrated action thereon, and make a proper reading.

The provision of a deadening covering on the frames has already beenexplained, and there is in addition an under board 30 having a cocoafibre mat 3| on its upper surface, to deaden balls that approach thetarget too low for practical shots. The boards and mat are arranged at arising angle of about one-in-four and covers the lower portion of theexterior frame. It not only deadens the shot but has a tendency todirect it away from the target chart and make it a foul shot physicallyas well as technically. The target fits and hinges within the frame asindicated and may be closed within its sides when packed up forshipment. The target frame is under the tension of the rope it] andspring 9 at all times, and brackets 32 are provided in front of theexterior frame to form stops for it to be braced against and definitelyset in its normal position for playing against, and to keep it vertical.

The pulleys 4 and 5 and incidental parts are installed so as to be outof the field of movement of the target during its swinging and rotativere actions. The dotted outlines show the general movement of same, andshould be understood that the movement becomes composite when the ballhits the target chart off course.

In such a case, the target swings on its horizontal upper frame andturns vertically on the swivel rod. The frame I is preferably closed inwith a back wall 33 to protect the internal mechanism, and the base 34is enlarged sufficiently to keep the device upright during play, or inthe last case, any other well known means can be provided to keep thetarget stable under all conditions of general use.

While but one form of the invention is shown in the drawing anddescribed in the specification, it is not desired to limit thisapplication to the form indicated, or in any other way, otherwise thanlimited by the prior art, as it is appreciated that other forms could bemade that would use the same principles and come within the scope of theappended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

In a golf target, the combination of an enclosed frame, fabric frontmeans having grommets incorporated adjacent the edges thereof, in meansadapted to hold the said front means taut to the frame in cooperationwith the said grommets, said front means being of relativelyimpressionable material adapted to temporarily retain the impressionmark made by the impact of a golf ball but removable by slightly beatingthe surface of the material sufficiently to permit the superficialreadjustment of the surface to its normal flatness, a secondary clothattached to the frame in rear of the front and sufficiently adjacentthereto to receive and deaden a portion of the impact when in excess ofa predetermined amount and reinforce the front means without materiallyaffecting its impressionability, an external casing encompassing thesaid frame and forming a ground support therefor, a suspension memberfor supporting the frame above its central axis to the casing andpermitting it to swivel and rotatably swing thereon under the impact ofthe golf ball, relatively weak springs connecting the frame to thecasing to control the swing of the frame to a predetermined extent, aprojecting rod extending from the lower portion of the frame adjacentthe vertical axis thereof, a cord attached to the rod, a spring attachedto the casing and the cord to provide tension for the latter, the framewith front and secondary cloth thereon, a pulley mounted on the casinghaving the cord wound around same to actuate it, a ratchet and pawlmechanism connected with the pulley and casing to control the movementthereof in predetermined positions and indicating means mounted on theside of the casing and operated through the pulley.

WILLIS N. WEAVER.

